MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Newswatch 16 was there when Dawn and Kevin Gillow's tax office in East Stroudsburg was overflowing with donations. The couple loaded up a trailer and hit the road to take those donations to people in Tennessee hit by Hurricane Helene.
The couple was visiting the area when the hurricane hit last month. During this trip, they saw more of the devastation firsthand.
"The devastation was really hard. It was very heartbreaking. We saw foundations with no houses, houses with no foundations, just everything was out of place," described Dawn Gillow.
The Gillows own a timeshare at West Gate Resort near Newport. When they learned that dozens of the resort's employees had lost everything, they knew they had to help.
The Gillows reunited with those employees, bringing totes filled with necessities. The couple also used monetary donations to buy special items on those families' wish lists.
Some people asked for small electric grills, toolkits, and new work boots.
"They had no words. The emotion was there; they just could not speak. But at the end, the smile on their faces was very rewarding for us," recalled Dawn.
Other donations were handed out at a distribution event in Cocke County for anyone who needed help in the aftermath.
"People have been very cautious about taking stuff. They wanted to make sure everybody else was taken care of. In the midst of their despair, they are still looking to help other people, which is incredible," said Kevin Gillow.
The couple says that what is more incredible is the generosity of the people in Poconos.
"If it wasn't for the people back home and the donations we received from everybody back home we would not be here, this would not have been possible," said Dawn.
The Gillows have launched a non-profit called "Where the Need Leads Us" to continue helping those in need.